This article is about a confederation of Māori tribes. For the ancient Māori canoe, see Arawa (canoe). For the radio station, see Te Arawa FM.

Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori iwi and hapū (tribes and sub-tribes) of New Zealand who trace their ancestry to the Arawa migration canoe (waka).[1] The tribes are based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty areas and have a population of around 60,117 according to the 2018 census, making the confederation the sixth biggest iwi in New Zealand.[2] The Te Arawa iwi comprises 56 hapū (sub-tribes) and 31 marae (family groupings).[3]

History

Te Arawa iwi are descended from people who migrated to New Zealand on the Arawa canoe. They settled in the Bay of Plenty region, principally around the Rotorua lakes.[1] Three main subtribes developed: Ngāti Pikiao occupied the eastern end of Lake Rotoiti and the area around Lake Rotoehu and Lake Rotomā; Tūhourangi occupied the upper Kaituna River, western Lake Rotoiti and the south-east side of Lake Rotorua including Ōhinemutu; Ngāti Whakaue, formerly known as Te Uri o Uenukukōpako, occupied Mokoia Island and the north-west side of Lake Rotorua.[4]

Many Te Arawa men fought for the colonial government in the New Zealand Wars that took place in the North Island in the mid-19th century. Perhaps in part, for this reason, the iwi chose to negotiate directly with the New Zealand Government over their historical grievances, bypassing the Waitangi Tribunal. A series of negotiations has resulted in several settlements of their various claims, the largest of which involve the settlement relating to the 14 lakes, signed in December 2004,[5] and the settlement for all the historical claims of a cluster of Te Arawa iwi and hapu signed on 30 September 2006. The Government apologised to Te Arawa for breaches of the Treaty and paid $36 million in compensation, including up to 500 km² of Crown forest land, as well as 19 areas of special significance, including the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve.[6]

On 18 December 2015 Te Arawa gained the right to vote in committee meetings of the Rotorua Lakes Council via an iwi partnership board, Te Tatau o Te Arawa.[7]

Te Arawa FM is the radio station of Te Arawa iwi, including Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi and Ngāti Whakaue. It was established in the early 1980s and became a charitable entity in November 1990.[8] The station underwent a major transformation in 1993, becoming Whanau FM.[9] One of the station's frequencies 99.1 was taken over by Mai FM in 1998; the other became Pumanawa 89FM before later reverting to Te Arawa FM.[10] It is available on in Rotorua the 99.1 frequency is now broadcasting commercial station The Heat 991 FM which started broadcasting 15 April 2015.[11]

Constituent iwi and hapu

The iwi and hapu that constitute Te Arawa include:

Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Rangiteaorere, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Mākino, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Tapuika, Waitaha, Ngāti Ngararanui, Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Tahu – Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Ngāti Te Roro o Te Rangi, Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara, Ngāti Tura-Ngāti Te Ngakau, Ngāti Uenukukōpako, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Hei, Ngāti Huarere and Ngāti Wāhiao.[citation needed]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ Tapsell, Paora (1 March 2017). "Te Arawa". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Demographics". Te Whata. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  3. ^ "About" (in en-NZ). Te Arawa Lakes Trust. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  4. ^ Tapsell, Paora (1 March 2017). "Te Arawa – Settlement and migration". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Deed of Settlement Summary". New Zealand Government. 18 December 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  6. ^ Stokes, Jon (30 September 2006). "$200m treaty deal makes tribe 'a force'". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  7. ^ McLachlan, Leigh Marama (2015-12-18). "Rotorua iwi and council in new partnership". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-07-28. Local iwi are being given the right to vote in committee meetings at the Rotorua Lakes Council. [...] The council has entered into a new partnership with Te Arawa which will see iwi more involved in decision making. [...] Today, it launched a new iwi partnership board, Te Tatau o Te Arawa.
  8. ^ "Who we are & what we do". Te Arawa Online. Te Arawa Communications. Archived 5 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Major transformation for Te Arawa iwi radio station". No. 14. Kia Hiwa Ra. September 1993. p. 8.
  10. ^ "Rotorua". Welcome to the Radio Vault. New Zealand: The Radio Vault. 18 January 2009. Archived 15 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Iwi Radio Coverage". maorimedia.co.nz. Māori Media Network. 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2015.